


It's Late, It's Late, but Not (Too) Late

by 1f_this_be_madness



Series: Beyond the Rhapsody [24]
Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018) Actor RPF, Queen (Band)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, COVID-19 texting quarantine shenanigans, Dorks, Drunken Flirting, Emoticons, F/M, Flirting, Gen, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Innuendo, Insomnia, Inspired by Interstellar (2014), Nicknames, One Shot, Sleep Deprivation, Song: Save Me (Queen), Swearing, Sweet, Texting, What-If, Who is the biggest dork here? Who knows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:14:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26017855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1f_this_be_madness/pseuds/1f_this_be_madness
Summary: A bit of texting during quarantine goes... Well, interesting(Or a bit of a prequel to "Going Slightly Mad", taking place earlier in quarantine, around late March/early April)
Relationships: Ben Hardy & Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy & Gwilym Lee & Rami Malek & Joe Mazzello, Ben Hardy & Roger Taylor, Lucy Boynton & Rami Malek & Joe Mazzello, Lucy Boynton/Rami Malek
Series: Beyond the Rhapsody [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1390516
Comments: 10
Kudos: 14





	It's Late, It's Late, but Not (Too) Late

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Phoenix_Queen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phoenix_Queen/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Going Slightly Mad](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26014084) by [1f_this_be_madness](https://archiveofourown.org/users/1f_this_be_madness/pseuds/1f_this_be_madness). 



When the only reliable means of communication with certain mates becomes texting, and not only that, when there are four hours' differences in timezones, besides the fact that time itself is elusive during COVID-19 quarantine.... Well, suffice to say there is a ton of oddly-timed texting going on, including multitudes of group chats. Even more than the usual What's App that Ben, Rami, Gwil, and Joe have going, there's one with Allen, and Lucy and Allen, and then a couple more with too many names to see immediately when Ben clicks on the numbers to start a chat. 

He could blame his muzzy mind from being in the flat for so long, or from drinks, or lack of sleep. But whatever it would be, well. Hopefully the blame can be shared.

It all started innocently enough, a text asking how everything was going.

Ben: hello boys what's going

Gwil: 👋 hey mate good to hear from you! I'm watching a film tonight, wish you lot were here xx

Joe: ❤️📽️

Rami: 😍 cheers, Lucy and I stayed in

Ben: what else are you gonna do

Joe: oooohhh you guys been snuggling??? Without me? Rude

Ben: ...why do you always get your knickers in a twist about other ppl snuggling, mate

Gwil: he's a jealous man, apparently

Joe: gasp such slander

Ben: hows it slander when its true? 🤔

Rami: 😂

Joe: 😲

Lucy: we were doing a lot more of this, 🍷 don't worry Joe 

Joe: was it all wine Luce cmon I raised u better

Lucy: 🤭🍸🍹🥃

Gwil: what's wrong with wine Joe

Ben: he's not classy enough for it 😜

Gwil: oh dayum, burn lol 🔥

Joe: wowwwww Benny u cut me deep  
Joe: but also if u and Rami actually drank all that Lucy  
Joe: u must be having a party 🎈🎉  
Joe: which again i was not invited to  
Joe: so, rude

Ben: lemme guess you're super offended, Joe

Joe: 🤯

Ben: 😘

Joe: imma talk to u Gwil - since HE still cares abt me, guys. 

Gwil: of course I do Joey baby ❤️

Ben: 🤢

Rami: 😄

Joe: Gwilly watchu watching big guy?

Gwil: Well, in the spirit of Brian May and time dilation, I decided that I ought to actually see Interstellar

Joe: niiiice  
Joe: i havent seen it yet either. Ooh! Lets do impromptu movie night rn ive got prime

Ben: I hear it's rather long

Joe: hear that imma break out the red bull lets gooo baby

Rami: Joe no it's already way late we talked about this

Joe: what's that Rami? It's laaaate? 

Ben: shouldve known that was coming 

Lucy: I believe in you Joe you got this 💪

Gwil: hydrate w/ me mate

Ben: oh god Gwil don't encourage him

He figures he will have to pray for them to retain their strength, and decides to make himself a drink and flip through his own telly channels. Sort of regrets not joining in on the film night when Joe starts sending reaction texts to Gwil and they are enthusiastically returned.

Joe: ok I'm like 2mins in and Murph is amazingggg I ❤️ her, aw she made her dad a sandwich that looks super good

Gwil: I know she's lovely isn't she? Making a cheese toasty a la Deacy

Joe: getting serious super8 vibes RN 

Gwil: oh yeah them driving down that dark lane is like JJ Abrams stuff, I gotcha mate

Joe: there's a creepy guy- oSHIT oh okay it's one of her dad's old buddies okay I mean scaring the crap out of a 12 yr old isnt cool but w/e i guess

Rami: 😲 

Lucy: 😁 

Joe: Murph no  
Joe: omg don't do this  
Joe: pilot man gotta go fast to space ☄️✈️  
Joe: whY WOULD HE LEAVE HIS KIDS NO THATS NOT COOL

Gwil: 😢

The texts on Joe's end start winding down and the others guess either he's crashed from the red bull or conked out naturally. Rami and Lucy say goodnight, and soon it's just Gwil.

Gwil: it started off so well, said we made the perfect pair, I clothed myself in your glory and your love, how I loved you, how I cried 🎵🎶

Ben: why you crying mate? Need me to save you?

Gwil: oh Ben, my hero!

Ben: 🤺  
Ben: that was my attempt to send a jhigt  
Ben: *knight  
Ben: i tried  
Ben: fuck

Gwil: 😂 are you alright mate?

Ben: errrr well i mightve got on the drink train after Lucy an Rami so

Gwil: 😁

Ben: is Joe alseep now because then i can send more emojis  
Ben: an figure how to spell apparently  
Ben: *asleep, what the fuck

Gwil: tipsy Ben is apparently far more apt to swear eh?

Ben: i guess, yeah 🤪 sorry

Gwil: no worries, I like your dirty mouth 😏 as I've said before, you're a dirty dirty bastard

Ben: well I refuse to be alone in this, bet youve a dirty mouth of your own

Gwil: 😉  
Gwil: perhaps, though I prefer to use emojis to express myself 🥒

Ben: ...did you rlly just send me a pickle emoticon

Gwil: what you want this instead? 🍌

Ben: mmm potassium 💦

Gwil: I refuse to believe you don't know what that means.

Ben: might have to spell something out there mate

Gwil: I prefer to wend my way through the emojis properly.

Ben: is there a proper way??

Gwil: of course, Ben. It's an entire language, mate. 

Ben: what

Gwil: 😂

Ben: so you're not even gonna send me an aubergine tonight?

Gwil: ...you want me to - Ben, how drunk are you?

Ben: nah m fine what I like purple  
Ben: an you wearing purple like you did in that suit  
Ben: you remember that suit? it was tops 👌👌👌

Gwil: thank you 😊

Ben: sure 💕

Gwil: Ben now you're sending me hearts

Ben: yeah I mean I figure you need them, it's a long film you're watching n s bittersweet, innit? So ❤️💕💞

Gwil: Wait, you've seen it before?

Ben: yeah an wanted to stay awake for you cos that ending...it hits, man

Gwil: I, yeah, it did. I just finished, and you, wow. You knew. Thanks Ben. 

Ben: welcome 😘

Gwil: damn I could use a cuddle with you right now

Ben: ah mate, same

Gwil: I suppose for now this will have to do 🤗

Ben beams and sends a hug back.

He sits, then, feeling comfortable and fuzzy, almost warm from being in this space with Gwil, both of them awake and as close together as they can be. It's nice. Relaxing. As much as Ben thinks he has felt during quarantine. 

And then a chime comes over the group message from a different number.

Rog: oi, trying to sleep. Will you boys please fuck off?

Ben shoots upright, breath catching in his throat and eyes going wide. That's - that's Roger. Roger _Taylor._

Oh, no.

**Author's Note:**

> For a request by Phoenix_Queen and because this friendship definitely includes lots of ribbing, affection, and flirting ;)
> 
> I love all of them 
> 
> Comments appreciated <3


End file.
